Inside the “Parasite” Film

CinePhiler’s Corner VOL. 1: PARASITE

When I think of a brilliant movie, I instantly think of a well-written, intelligently-produced, inventively-directed group of scenes stitched together to make a film. And, the movie known to America as Parasite is an absolute testament to those factors. This was quite a brilliant piece of art that shows how beautifully brutal an outlandish foreign language film can truly get. The plot is intriguing as it bases itself on a carefully crafted foundation at the exposition, and finally ending at a completely transformed product of a resolution. I consider this film a prime example of how to perfectly adapt a movie’s plotline. However, while controlled and grasped by numerous themes, the Korean film does shy away from its clear ingenuity.

The story begins with a borderline lower-class family, the Kim clan, living in the midst of a flat-out impoverished community. The family survives through the tedious work of wrapping pizza boxes to gain a fast buck. As the story develops we begin to see the overall greed and selfishness that stands behind the door of salary. The family begins to form a symbiotic relationship with an incredibly wealthy Park family. Through interactions during the later weeks, the Kim clan seems to have tried to continuously shuck off the class discrimination that they encounter uniformly, by any needs necessary! From hustling to vulgarity, the ruthless ways that occur begin to threaten and uproot the societary status of both the Park family and the Kim clan. The film bases itself off that starting point but grows into something of another entity. Something that no one will ever suspect. If you look at the official scientific definition of a parasite, it is, “an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense.” Think of this definition and you’ll see the sheer brilliance behind, not only the movie but its title as well. I believe that when a director takes an idea and puts it into unique use in the form of a film, and molds it and shapes it into something different and unconventional that becomes a success; there is no more respect I can give than tipping my cap and saying that Parasite is a complete and utter masterpiece.

When watching the movie, patience is key, the story takes time to develop. The characters become ominous and change in mysterious forms. There is always another step ahead with the plot and theme. The actions and reactions are unexpected and brilliant. Any cinephile or descriptive thinker can view this movie in the sense of creativity and innovativeness. As a moviegoer and a fan of most genres, I find it interesting and admiring to see new types of ingredients added to the pot of film entertainment. And, this movie is a creation that is different and hit all of the marks on the riveting and fascinating rubric of truly great films. A prestigious prize for me to say something so insightful and descriptive on a late 2019 movie of this sort, but this is one story that will enter the hallowed halls of more than just my positive opinion. However, this is one of the most well-done films I have seen in an impressive amount of time.

The Overall Review

CinePhiler’s Grade: 96%